Envelop-sealing machine.



G. J. ALBREOHT. BNVELOP SEALING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 2, 1910.BENBWED Nov. 13, 1914.

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f2 ii 55 72 73 if j@ G. J. ALBRBCHT. ENVELOI SBALING MACH-INE.APPLICATION FILED HAY 2. 1910. BVBNBWED NOV. 13, 1914.

1,125,927. h Patented c121111.26, 1915.

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Fly. 2.

3y @MM G. J. ALBREGHT. ENVBLOP SEALING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED nu 2.1910. BBNEWBD Hov.1s, 1914.

1, 125,927, Patented Jan. 26, l1915.

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4 J2 1 1 -9 4 4749 4 4 J0 4 2 f@5 .4

G. J. ALBRECHT n nNvELoP sEALING Mmmm;

, APPLICATION FILED IAY 2. 1910. HBWBD HOV. 13, 1.914. 1,125,927, YPatented Jan. 26, 1915.

.6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

G. J. ALBRECHT. ENVELOP SEALING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED 11.1112,1910. RENEWBD 11011.13, 1914.

1,125,927. Patented .12.11.26, 1915.

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jdd A 100 UNITED sTATlas .PATENT oFFIoE.

como J. maenner. V:um:luminous.,. 11m-Nason, Assxeimn To nous MAILINGnomma COMPANY, or mNmroLIs. mNnsomA., A. ooRom'rIoN.

auvnLor-SEALING MACHINE.

Application nea my a, 1am, serial ne. stese?.

T 0 all when@ it may/'concern VBe it known that I, Grumo J. Anaimonfr,a'citi'z'en of' the United States, residing' at li' inneapolis, inthecounty, of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certainfication of that shown andv described in my co-pendn application Serial"Number 4S9,270,'`1led pr11'12, 1909, from' whiohit differs, among otherthings, 'in' providing a spring-actuated' device for periodicallyproducing air drafts for operating' the sprayer, and a housing for thesprayer having a slot inA one of its Walls through which the gummed'lap's, of the envelops' are successively presented to the sprayer withinthe housing.

My improvements' are illustrated 1n the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a view from the under side of an envelop sealing machineembodying my improvements, showing the actuating parts in position forstarting the movement of an envelop from theteed-rack to the seal-ingrack and for' foldlin and sealing its' iiap. Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal section of the` machine approximately-on the line w-w ofFig'. 1'. Figs. -3 to 6 areelevations,partly sectional and similar toFig. 2, showing-the relative positions of the principal movingparts atdifferent stages of the operati-on of conveying an envelop vfrom thefeed-,rackto the sealing rack, folding andV sealing the flaps' andoperating the spraying" device.

Figlf is: a side vie'w of a 'portion of the` feed-rack and ad'fustablesupports for the,l envelops. Fig. 8 is a top 'view ofth@` sprayerdevices' and their housing". 9".

is' enlarged detail vi'e'vv of the sprayers and housin .Iii the'drawings 1 designatesthe' vertical and 2 the horizontal off-the main-ySpecioation of'Letter-s latent.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

Renewed number 13,1914. serial No. 812,042.

frame. The feed-rack 3 for supporting the unsealed envelops consists ofnearly upright rods or bars secured von the rear portlon of the' mainframe; and the delivery or sealing rack 14S for' receiving andsupporting the sealed'envelops consists of a similar structu're lsecuredon 'the uppermiddle portion of the; main r'a'me. Both racks are providedwith suitably weighted gravita'ting followers 5` and' 6, respectively,which are guided o n the rods by means ofloose rings 7 carried byarmsrojecting upwar ly from thel followers. he front bars of bothy ra'clzsare adjustable to receive envelops of dierent Widths by being supportedon bars 94 which' carry plates 10 having elongatedl slots' 11' and whichare held in place at the sides of the frame members 2 b screws 12.

. The unsealed envelops 13, with7V stacked in substantially horizontalosition in 'thefeed-rack 3 on a pair of adJustable seats- 15,' whichpreferably are of channel shape and have their innersides shorter thanthe,v outer. The' stops are made adjustable toward and away from eachotherto ada t them' for envelops of different lengths,l y attaching themto rods 16 that are slidable on the frame work and are held in' place bysets'crews 17. See Fig. 7.

The driving-shaft 18 of the machine is journaledy in the frame at oneside near the front,'and' a driven shaft 19 is journaled in alinementwith it in the opposite side of the frame. 0n the inner' ends ofthesetwo shafts are secu-red crank-arms 20 the outer ends of which areconnected by a rod 21, and on the rod is pivotal-ly mounted a yoke 22from which connecting rods 23y extend rearward in nearly horizontal'direction, being braced by a .cross-bar 24, and are pivoted to acarriage-f'or conveying the envelops in succession from the moisteningto the sealing positions' The main frame of this carriage comprises t'wohorizontal pieces 25 and cross-bars 26 which connect their ends andsupport parallel horizontal rods 27.l On these rods are' arrangedsli'dable brackets 28 having'downward'arms 29, to which theconnectin'g'lrods 23 are pivoted by pintles 30.

Y their flaps4 l 14 y open and Idownwardly inclined, are',

the carriage members are connected by ra dius-bars'33 and 34 to thesides 2, whereby the carriage frameis maintained at all times inhorizontal position and is caused during portions of its movements toadvance towar and recede from the envelop racks.

The extreme rearward position of the carriage is illustrated in Figs. 1and 2,. Upon partial rotation of the driving-shaft, about a quarterturn. by means of an operating crank 35, or otherwise, the carriage andits connections will be in approximately sitions shown in Fig. 3, andthe carrier 31 vv ill have-moved an envelop from the feedrack toposition between the racks about as there shown, and a further operationof the crank-about a quarter turn will carry the envelop tov the-sealingrack, as indicated in Fig. 4. Then, upon further rotation of thedriving-shaft the carriage will be moved awa-y from contact with theenvelop and toward the front of the machine and downward, asindicated inFig. 5. To aid in effecting this cycle of movements and to retract theycarriage a proper distance, the 'loiverradius bars 34 are provided attheir fulcrum points 36 with short angular arms 37 extending 38 thatengage in eccentric grooves 39 formed in cam-wheels 40 that are fast tothe driving and driven shafts 18 and 19. The operation of the arms 37 byreason of the engagement of their pins 38 in the camgrooves 39 serves tomove the radius bars toward the base of the machine after the carriagehas delivered an envelop to the delivery rack and during the earlierportion of the rearward travel of the carriage7 as shown in Figs. 5 and6. j

The feed-rack cross-bar 9, which is supported by the frame members 2, isprovided with a resilient support or a series of resilientfin ers 41,fastened to itsunder side and extending below its lower edge for holdingone or more of the lower envelope in place; These fingers are.preferably composed of rubber and made of somewhat wedge-shape to adapttheir lower ends to be easily bent to allow the envelop that is engagedby the carrier 31 to be removed from the rack. The same bar 9 alsosupports a series of laterally-extending curved springs 42 which serveto yieldingly hold the envelop to contact with the carrier during a'portion of its passa e from the feed-rack to the storing rack. nd to theinner end of the carrier are attached presser-springs 43 for liftingthe'lower envelops in the storing rack 4 to make room between them andtheir supports or seats 44 for the advancing enve op as it is beingpresented by the carrier, as indicated in Fig. 3.

Intermediate the feeding and storing v racks is located the Hap-folder45, consisting of a fiat plate provided withslots 46 to perthe poiforward and which carry pins rods 50 are pivoted for connecting them toA the longer arms of levers 51 that are fulcrumed at 52 to the framemembers 2; and the shorter lever arms are provided with pins 53 whichengage in cam-grooves 54 in camfwheels 55 on the shafts 18 and 19.

r1`he' moistenng of the gummed portions of the envelops is effected bythe following devices: A water reservoir 56 is supported at the rearportion of the machine, and from it a series of pipes 57 extends inupward direction to an atomizer or spraying device of any suitableconstruction. In the style of atomizer selected for illustration eachpipe 57 has attached to it a head 58 which carries a nozzle 59, the bodyportion 60 of which is screw-threaded. A `small cylinder 61 is screwedonto the nozzle body and provides an interior air-chamber 62 and anarrow passage-Way 63 for the aircurrent around the sides of the nozzle.Each of the air chambers. 62 is inV communication with a branch pipe64'that is connected to an airsupply pipe 65, and the ,latter issupplied with air under pressure through a pipe 66 that is connected toan air-pump, or other source of supply of air under pressure.

The air-pump may be of any suitable construction; as illustrated, itconsists of a barrel 67 supported by a bracket 68 from theframe side 2,and contains a piston 69 operated by a piston-rod 70 which is pivot-vally connected to a connecting-rod 71 that is operativelyconnected tothe lower arm 72 of a lever hanger 74 depending from the frame piece 2.The other lever-arm 75 is arranged in position to be `engaged by aroller 76 'on 'a pin provided on the'adjacent cam-wheel 55 during aportion of the rotation of that that is fulcrumed at 73 to a.

ioo

cam, the swing of the lever'beingfrom about the osition shown in 1n andguided by a hanger 78 from the frame member 2, vand betweenv the hangerand the pump a coil spring 79 is placed on the rod,

one end of the spring'bearing against the hanger and the other againstan adjustable collar or stop S0 thatis held in place by a set-screw 81.vvA similar adjustable collar or the lever arm 7" and thrust the pistonrod and piston to roduce an air-blast through the pipe 66.' he ar- Fig.2 to that shown 41g.5. The piston-rod 70 is supported` permit the spring79 to ian moistening point.l l R Y i vsprayQto the gummed.

rangement and Connections of the operating mechanisms are such that theair 'pump Aing and projecting the desired amount of spray.

To avoid undesirable moistening of the envelops and to enable the spraylto be di-y rected to the gummed portions only of the iap's7 a box-likehousing 83 is mounted on the frame at an inclination of approximately tothe feed-rack and inclosiny the nozzles 59 and providing a chamber 8 forreceiving their discharge. The water that may accumulate' in thischamber is allowed to flow back to the tank through a drain pipe 85.

In the top wall of the housing 83 is a transverse slot 86 through whichproject the flaps 14 of several of the lower envelops in the feed-rack.A plate-87 in rea-r ofthe feed-rack and parallel with its posts andsupported either on the frame members 2 or the housing 83 has its lowerend in the housing slot 86, and to it are attached a series of dependingguide-fingers 88. preferably of wire, for preventing movement of thefiaps toward the rear ofthe machine. Below these fingers are otheride-fin ers 89 for preventing forward de eetion o the flaps.y whichfingers extend u wardly from and are secured to a longitudinaly plate orfalse bottom 90 in the housing 83. The guideplate 87 and the fingers 8and 89 serve to hold in alinement the extended liaps of the rackedenvelops and guide them to the `For directin the` margin of the. ap and"preventing the discharge lof spray to an objectionable extent throughthe slot 86 infront of the flap' a defiector plate 91, preferably ofconvex forni, is provided on the upper Wall of the housing at the frontof the slot.

The forward portion of the false bottoni 90 is extended downwardlybeneath the drain pipe 85 and toward theV water tank and the rearwardportion terminates approximately inline with the edges of the. envelopiaps. The housin lbottomy proper is also extended downwar ly to coperatewith the false bottom extension to form av duct 92 leadin referably tothe water tank, for the iscliarge of air,-spray, and water.

To aid in directing the spray after it has passed the envelop aps intoand through the exhaust duct 92 means are provided for causing anair-current to pass downwardly in rear of the flaps and into the duct.As

shown, this is done by a fan. consisting of wings 93 `on a transverseshaft 94 in a fancase 95 located above the housing and in rea-r of theguide-plate 87. An opening 96 in the top of the housing admits theaircurrent from the fan to the sprayer housing. The fan vshaft may bemounted on the frame members :2 or the housing 83 and driven from thedriving shaft 18 by means of pulleys 97 and 98 and a belt 99. The courseof the spray is indicated bv the arrows a and that of the air-currentfrom the fan by the arrows b. In this way a spreading or diffusion ofthe spray in direction toward the envelops is avoided and only theexposed flap receives any portion of the moisture.

To regulate thelength of the slot 86 to accommodate for envelops ofdifferent lengths adjustable slides 100 are provided at the ends of theslot and arranged in guides 101, which allow them to be moved to andfro.

In operation, starting with the operative parts ofthe machine in thepositions shown in Figs. 1 and Q. the initial operationv of thedriving-shaft will start the carrier 31 forward on its guides 27.causing the forward edge of the engaged envelop to bend the points ofits supporting lingers 41 to allow the envelop to pass: a slight furthermovement will bring the envelop to contact with the resistance springs42, which serve to hold the envelop against the face of the advancingcarrier, (see Fig. 3) and as the forward edge of the carrier nears thestack of envelops on the rack 4 the presser springs 50 will engage themand press thenrupward from the stops l-.l to make room for the advancedenvelop. These operations are effected bv vabout a third of a turn ofthe shaft 18 which serves to swing the cranks 2O from the position shown1n Figs. 1 and 2 'to that shown in Fig. 3; and a short further rotationwill serve to seat the envelop in the sealing rack, as shown in Fig. 4.When the envelop has thus ybeen delivered. fui-then rotation of thedriving shaft to initial position will serve to rotate the cani-wl'leel55 and thereb \7 operate the flap folder 45 to engage the flap and bendand seal it to the racked envelop. as shown in Fig. 6. Duringapproximately the latter half of the shaft rotation the cam-wheel 40will serve to so actuate the radius bar 3i as to retract the carriagefrom theI position shown in Fig. 5 and to move it to the position shownin Fig. 6 and return it to the operative position `shown in Figs. 1 and'2.

During that period of the operation which nioves the carrier 31 from itsposition be` neath the feed rack (Fig. 2) to that beneath the sealingrack (approximately as shown in Fig. i) the rotation of the cani 55 willhave moved the pin T7 to position to cause its roller T6 to contact withthe lever ai'in 75 and begin the oscillation of that lever I y vices.

ment of the cams will'free the roller 76 from the lever arm 75andthereby permit 10 the spring to expand, yas indicated in Fig.`

6. This expansion of the s' ring 79 serves to thrust the piston rod anlcause the piston 69 to send a quick-moving current of air through thepipe 66 to the spraying de- The air-blasts from the pump enter theseries of sprayer chambers-62 and flow out through the openings .63around the nozzles 59 and produce sprays, which are y projected againstthe exposed envelop flap 2o 14, and the air and surplus spray aredischarged, along Vwith the`air-'current from the fan, through the lowerhousing outlet 92. Having described my invention, what I claim anddesire to secure by Letters Pat- 1. In an envelop-sealing 'machina thecombination with means for successively exposing the gummed envelop iapsto be moistened, of spring-actuated means for .3o producing air-blasts,means for periodically placing said spring-actuated means in operativeposition, and a. sprayer operated thereby for spraying the flaps as theyare successively exposed.

2. In an envelop-sealing machine, a

sprayer for moistening the envelop flaps,

a spring-actuated device fory producing airblasts for operating thesprayer, and vmeans `for periodically placing said device in op- 40erative position.

3. In an envelop-sealing machine, a sprayer, spring-actuated means forprojecting air-blasts through the sprayer, means for periodicallyplacing said projecting means in operative position, means for exposingsuccessive envelop aps to the action of the sprayer, and means forremoving them when sprayed.

11. In an envelop-sealing machine, a

' 50 sprayer, spring-actuated lmeans for projecting air-blasts throughthe sprayer,'means for periodically pla'cing. lsaid projecting means inoperative position, means for stacking envelops and successivelypresent- `ing-their aps to the action of the sprayer,

a carrier for removing the envelops in succession, and mechanism forproducing timely operations of the carrier.

' 5. In an envelop-sealing machine, a 50 sprayer, spring-actuated meansfor projecting air-blasts through the sprayer, means for periodicallyplacing saidV projecting means inoperative position, 'means for stackingenvelops and successively present- 5 ing their flaps to theaction ofthensprayer,

compression ofl air-blasts to .the sprayer guides Vproper pos1t1on -1nYthe casing, means for -1 and means for directing the spray to the ummedportion ofV the exposed envelop ap. l Y

6. In an Lenvelop-sealingV machine, a

sprayer, spring-actuated means for project- 7o ing air-blasts throughtheI sprayer, means A for periodically placing said projecting means inVoperative position, means forV .stacking envelops and successivelypresent` ing their flaps tothe action of the sprayer, a carrier forremovin the envelops in suc-Y cession, mechanismY or producing timelyoperations of the carrier, and connections between the carrier actuatingmechanism and the air-blast device for controlling the operation of thelatter.. y y l Y 7. In an envelop-sealing machine, means for stackingand Vholding envelops with their liaps open, means for removing them 1nsuccession, a sprayer, an air-pump there- 3b for, a spring for thrustingthe pump piston, means for periodically placing said spring in operativeposition, and means for causing timely operationV of the spring.

8. In an envelop-sealing machine, means for stacking and holdingenvelops with their flaps open, a carrier for removing the envelops insuccession, mechanism for producv ing timely operations of `the carrier,a sprayer, a .spring for thrusting the pump piston, and connectionsbetween the spring and the carrier Ymechanismor causing timelyoperation'of the spring.

9. In an envelop-sealing machine', a sprayer, a housing therefor havingaslot 1c in one of its walls, means forsuccessively presenting and guidinthe Vgummed flaps of envelops through sai slot and within .the housing,means for Vperiodically supplying for spraying the l( exposed flap, andmeans for removing the envelops in succession as their flaps aremoistened. l

10. In an envelop-sealing machine, a sprayer, a housing therefor havinga slot in 1 oneof its walls, means for successively presenting thegummed flaps of envelops through said slot and ,within said housing.

for holding the Ypresented'iiap in periodically projecting sprays, andmeans for removing the envelops in succession.v as their fiaps aremoistened.

11. In an Venvelop-sealing machine, a sprayer, a housing therefor havinga slot 1 in one of-its walls, means for successively presenting thegunimed flaps of envelops and within said hous,

the Vpresented flap in proper position inY ,the casing. 1 means forperiodically projecting sprays, a spray-deector for directing the sprayVto the ap, and means for removing the envelops in succession as theirflaps are moistened.

12. In an4 envelop-sealing machine, a

through said slot ing, `guides for holding flaps, means for successivelypresenting the flaps through said slot and within the housing, oppositeair inlet and outlet ports in the housing in. rear of said slot, meansfor directing an air-current through said ports,

and means for removing the envelo s in succession as their flaps aremoistene 14. In an envelop-sealing machine, a sprayer, a housingtherefor having a slot in one of its walls for receiving the envelopaps, means for successively presentin the flaps through said slot andwithin the ousing, a false bottom in the casing below the edges of theflaps, an air inlet port in the top of the housing, an outlet in itsbottom, means for directing an air-current through said ports, and meansfor removing the envelops in succession as their flaps are moistened.

15. In an envelop-sealing machine, a sprayer, a housing therefor havinga slot in one of its Walls for receiving the envelop flaps, means forsuccessively presenting the flaps through said slot and Within thehousing, a false bottom in the casing below the Jdges of the flaps, adelector above the false bottom for directing the spray to the flaps,

an air inlet port in the top of the housing,

an outlet in its bottom, means for directing an air-current through saidports, and means for removing the envelops in succession as their apsare moistened.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses this 25th day of April, 1910.

GUIDO J. ALBRECHT. Witnesses:

H. A. BOWMAN, P. I-I. GUNCKEL.

